Songwriting

Songwriting is harder than it looks

If you've followed my blog from the beginning, you know that I took a History of American Music class this past summer and had to write a rap song, which was totally out of my comfort zone, but it turned out pretty well.

I have been taking guitar lessons since I retired and have been encouraged to try my hand at songwriting. Because I write better than I play, I opted to write lyrics and let others add the music to it... I hope to get to the point of writing the music as well someday, but until then, I'm satisfied with putting words to paper.

So far, I've written about a half dozen songs (Here's a few of them):

Driving

Enjoying the cool night air

Top down, Metallica up

Neon lights on city streets

Polished chrome reflect the heat

I’m runnin’

Feeling free and cruisin’

I’m runnin’

Listenin’ to the rock and beat

The town’s alive tonight

I can feel it’s hot breath

Fogging my mirrors, blurring my sight

Faster and faster into the haze

I’m runnin’

Feeling free and cruisin’

I’m runnin’

Listenin’ to the rock and beat

 Getting close to midnight

Stores closing down

Police on patrol

But the road is callin’

I’m runnin’

Feeling free and cruisin’

I’m runnin’

Listenin’ to the rock and beat

Tires grind on gravel trails

Pavement gone and lights go dim

Heading out to parts unknown

Riding hard on metal rims

I’m runnin’

Feeling free, I’m drivin’

Driving hard and riding

Listenin’ to the rock and beat

Life Ain’t All What It Seems

Riding down a winding road

Throwin’ rocks cross a river stream

Gravel now where water flowed

Life ain’t all like what it seems

I’m building up what once was lost

Some new memories along the way

Reconciled at a cost

Too cheap to sell is what they say

Life ain’t all like what it seems

Life ain’t built for hopes and dreams

Life ain’t long enough at all

And I ain’t strong enough it seems

Life can be salt or sweet

Sometimes barren, other times green

Sometimes black, others with cream

Often wild, sometimes serene

Drifting through the evening haze

Chasing echoes of what’s been

Trying hard to mend my ways

While counting every loss and win

Some days I rise, some days I fall

Still learning what the silence means

Finding grace in standing tall

Even when life splits at the seams

Bridge:

I’ve walked through nights that felt too long

Held my breath through broken scenes

But somehow still I hum along

To the tune of who I’ve been

Hitting the Lotto

Taxman says he wants all my money

Ol' girlfriends wanna be my honey

Long lost friends want to be my buddy

Relatives out of the woodwork, now ain’t that funny

Hit the lotto and now I’m rich

In the pond, I’m now the big fish

Fast cars, gold watches, yeah I’m delish

But everybody wants some, ain’t that a bitch

Got me an attorney to shelter my cash

Got me a bodyguard with a big mustache

Got some new clothes to show off some flash

Partying hard – it’s a hell of a bash

They tell me money don’t buy me joy

They say, “Be careful, watch out boy”

They advise me to avoid makin’ too much noise

They want me quiet, they want me coy

Kardashians and Tay got nothing on me

Jet off to Aspen to snowboard and ski

Some island fun is where I’ll flee

Or time with the Royals for crumpets and tea

Got me a Rolls Royce, got me a Jag

Bought me a country with my face on the flag

Don’t worry about prices, don’t look at the tag

Neck wrapped in gold, showing my swag

Played the scratch off, hit Powerball

Never thought I’d make it but now got it all

Got all the numbers not even one flaw

Painted the dog's nails – she got a solid gold paw

Hard to be sad when you’re doing alright

Fly to Japan private jet for the flight

For the best sushi that tastes just right

Stayed for the party and danced all night

Then to the desert, off to Dubai

Hobnob with sheiks is where I’ll fly

And then to India for some awesome Thai

You’ll say I’m cool, you’ll say I’m that guy

And if someday my money’s gone

I’ll savor the memories and all that fun

I’ll remember the good times and all that I done

And smile back to the day that I won

Quiet the Noise

Battles won, battles lost

Gotta ask, at what cost?

The United States’ full of strife

Around the good ol’ American life

The left ain’t right and

Right puts up their fight

There’s no middle ground and

No common sense to be found

Lots of shouting and despair

What’s correct and what is fair

It’s time to quiet the noise and

Return to honor and to poise.

Refrain:

Time to quiet the noise

Time to reflect on values

Time to quiet the noise

And to avoid the next salvo.

Protests erupt, cities burn

Citizens lament on what they yearn

Forces out to quell the riots

Opinions fought, opinions spurned.

Military Dance (Ballerina)

Ballerina ready to

Dance a delicate balance

Of peace through strength

A global pirouette of power

Gods of War

Angels of Peace

Soldiers of Fortune

Citizen’s relief

Drones soar through battlefields

Missiles pierce the sky

Tanks rumble over lands

Jets and copters fly

Gods of War

Angels of Peace

Soldiers of Fortune

Citizen’s relief

Pentagon’s alive

NORAD never sleeps

Generals and Admirals plan

Cyber Security sneaks

Gods of War

Angels of Peace

Soldiers of Fortune

Citizen’s relief

Secure the borders

Monitor the skies

Patrol the seas

Keep the peace

Gods of War

Angels of Peace

Soldiers of Fortune

Citizen’s relief

On the Shoreline

 On the third of July, we came forth,

Down to the shoreline in an old Jeep

Celeste and me and our pup Delilah

Who’s an old soul that misses her sisters.

Walking hand in hand feet in the sand

Listening to the waves lapping

As they ebb and flow

Trying to reach dry land

It’s quiet now, early morn,

College kids sleep in cheap motels.

Alcohol from the night before

Wears off as they slumber.

We pass an old couple that we surmise,

Have been married since the beginning of time.

They walk slowly, their gait unsteady,

Determined to traverse the sands of time.

Fly in formation

Like fighter jets

Pelicans dive looking for fish.

Reminds us of the crane toys,

On the boardwalk in the arcade

Married long enough to read each other’s minds

But don’t always know our own,

Words unspoken speak volumes,

Loud as waves crashing against the piers.

Delilah chases birds in the sandy shore

She dives into the ocean as they take flight,

And emerges with a salty face,

And a wide dog smile that says, “next time.”

The sun rises over the ocean,

Long rays of light are broken,

By low clouds and high waves

Magnificent representation of God’s Glory

Away from the hustle

of work’s duress,

Souls refreshed

And stripped of stress.

A gentle cool breeze caresses our skin.

Flowing lightly, flowing within.

Delivering us from anger, worry and strive.

Resetting our compass, renewing our lives.

Married long enough to read each other’s minds

But don’t always know our own,

Words unspoken speak volumes,

Loud as waves crashing against the piers.

I shelter her and hold her close,

I keep her from harm.

Delilah is our shadow, she knows our hearts,

She hovers intimately and united our family.

When nightfall arrives

And stars emerge,

Phosphorus seaweed speckles the shore,

We’ll watch as spectators to the awe.

A shooting star races across the sky,

A wish, a hope, a desire, a why,

Unspoken dialogue, unsaid words

But clear enough to get us by.

Celeste places her head on my shoulder

My arms wrap around her,

I keep her warm in the cool night air,

She knows my love – she knows I’m there.

Married long enough to read each other’s minds

But don’t always know our own,

Words unspoken speak volumes,

Loud as waves crashing against the piers.

See this guy? He's CLUELESS about what to write next

What I discovered was that as I was writing a song, I had it in my head what TYPE song it was going to be. One song that I was sure was going to be a heavy metal headbanger turned out to be a very slow ballad when I presented it to a few musician friends and asked them to put music to it. Another song became an angry sixties style protest song (wasn't my intent).

Before I started trying to write songs, I did some research and started looking at lyrics for songs that were considered big hits and was somewhat surprised that the biggest hits didn't have very complicated lyrics - as a matter of fact, some of them were sort of stupid. Lots of repetitive lyrics and repeating choruses, so I'm not sure if I'm on the right track or not with my writing.

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this a little bit. Would love some feedback on any of the songs or assistance in HOW to write music.

Thanks! :)